This invention relates to packaging and, more particularly, to packaging for documentation and setup material shipped with equipment such as computer systems. The invention encompasses both a packaging device and a method of the packaging documentation and setup material.
Many types of equipment, particularly computer systems, are shipped to the user in packaging which contains both the equipment and the documentation for the equipment. For example, computer systems are commonly shipped in a package which includes the various components of the computer system, together with a separate xe2x80x9coptionsxe2x80x9d box. The options box contains documentation for the particular system including documentation for optional devices incorporated in the system. Initial system setup information may also be contained in the options box. The setup material required for initially setting up or installing the computer system may include a certificate of authenticity or COA for the operating system software. The COA includes a serial number which the customer must use to set up the system.
For many types of equipment, the documentation may include numerous materials ranging from voluminous manuals to single sheet notices and compact discs or diskettes containing software programs. Any one document, including a critical setup document, may be easy to overlook or lose in this mass of material. Thus, the customer may be unable to locate the required setup information and may eventually contact customer support for assistance. This not only increases customer support costs, but may also lead to customer dissatisfaction with the product.
In the computer system situation is possible to print or otherwise affix the COA on the outside of a documentation package to be shipped with the computer system. However, affixing the COA to the documentation package presents synchronization and tracking problems for the manufacturer. In particular, since the documentation package has the COA printed on its exterior, the package is specific to a particular computer system and must be tracked through the manufacturing facility. Tracking this type of documentation package through the system manufacturing or assembly process is necessary to ensure that the correct documentation goes into the correct documentation package and to ensure that the correct documentation package is shipped with the correct computer system.
It is an object of the invention to provide a packaging device and packaging method which overcome the above-described problems and others associated with packaging documentation and setup materials for various types of equipment, including computer systems.
A packaging device according to the present invention includes two separate container portions. A first container portion contains general documentation, while a second container portion contains system setup material having setup indicia such as a COA which is required for setting up the subject equipment. The second container portion includes a window through which the setup indicia is visible when the material is properly received in a display position. A locking arrangement may be included with the second container portion for locking the setup material in the proper display position. Thus, the customer may readily locate the required setup indicia simply by looking through the window in the packaging device. Also, the packaging device may also include identifying indicia printed on an exterior surface adjacent to the window for drawing the customer""s attention to the important setup indicia visible through the window.
In the preferred form of the invention, the second container portion is formed within the first container, with both container portions sharing a common outer wall in which the window is formed. Each container portion has a separate access opening through which material may be inserted. Also, both access openings are preferably located on a common side of the packaging device and lie generally in a common plane. A cover arrangement is included with the packaging device to cover the access openings. In the preferred form of the invention, a single lid covers both access openings simultaneously and a fastening arrangement is included for releaseably fastening the lid in a closed position.
These and other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments, considered along with the accompanying drawings.